Across the Karsite Border
by SnowLight
Summary: Tarma and Warrl are spying on troop advances across the Karsite Border. She is the first Shin'a'in to ever cross the border. Will she make it back alive?


Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, Mercedes Lackey does, but the scenario is mine, as are many of the comments. enjoy! Sentences in Italics and starting and ending with colons indicate conversation by telepathy.  
  
Swish, swish, creak, creak, swish. Snap!  
  
Tarma stops dead in her tracks. Had any of them been close enough to hear her?  
  
:Can't you keep it down, mind-mate?: comes the impatient query. :You don't have to snap every twig from here to Haven.:  
  
:I'm doing the best I can, fur-face!: Tarma snaps at Warrl, a kyree, who had been padding along silently beside her. A kyree is a wolf-like creature that stands three feet tall at the shoulder when on all fours, and is as smart (though they say more than) a human. Kyree are also telepathic. Tarma counts slowly to ten, then to one hundred, then Mind- sends much more tenderly to her friend, :Sorry, I'm just very on edge. This is the first time I've ever crossed the Karsite border, let alone as a spy.: After a pause, she adds :Probably the first time any Shin'a'in has crossed the border willingly.:  
  
:Willing, my paw.: Warrl mutters. :More like blackmail.: Then, louder, :Well, lets keep going, we any have a few candlemarks of darkness left. Only please don't snap any more twigs. Hey!: He mentally yelps as she lovingly smacks him between the ears.  
  
They creep through the deserted forest, the Pelagir Hills kyree and the Shin'a'in sword-sworn. They hear not a sound, see naught larger than a sparrow. Then, a few candlemarks later.  
  
:Tarma, I think we should set up camp. The sun will be rising soon.:  
  
:Fine, fur-face, this place is as good as any. I'll take the second watch.:  
  
:Not fair! I'm tired, and I had first watch last night!:  
  
:I'm just as tired as you are, if not more, and your kyree were made to live with less sleep than me, and your reflexes are better than mine when we're tired, and-:  
  
:Enough, enough, I'll do it, I'll do it, all right? Sheesh!:  
  
They set up camp, Warll hunting their dinner, Tarma pitching the tent and building a small, smokeless fire. Just after Tarma had gotten the fire burning warmly, Warll ghosts into the clearing with two fat rabbits in his powerful jaw. Deftly, as was a result of years of practice, Tarma skins them and skewers them on a smooth, dry hickory stick to cook over the fire.  
  
:Thanks, fuzz-ball.: Tarma Mind-sends while rubbing Warll between his pointed ears. He wags his tail with pleasure. :I haven't seen anything larger than a sparrow all day, and you manage to find two plump rabbits for my supper. What did you scrounge up for yourself?: the last almost accusingly.  
  
:Oh, a little of this, a little of that,.: he replies evasively.  
  
:Warll,: Tarma sent firmly, :What did you find?:  
  
:If you insist. The enemy camp isn't far from here, (Tarma jumps six feet into the air without standing up) and I picked off one of their baggage donkeys.: Warll grimaces, and Tarma has to stifle her laughter with her fist. :It wasn't worth eating. On the other hand, the contents of the bag were quite good.: He licked his chops appreciatively. :Some sweetmeats, some veggies, and a haunch of ham were wrapped for the journey. Someone had planned on eating very well. There were also five rabbits stuffed in the top of one of the bags. I ate three.:  
  
:So that's were my dinner came from.: Tarma smiles fondly at her mind-mate and tousles his ears. :Well, I'd better pull it off the fire before it burns.:  
  
  
  
:Wakey, wakey!: Tarma sing-songs. Warll doesn't move.  
  
:I refuse to dignify that with a response.:  
  
:Fine, then. How about.THIS!: as she pulls out the main support pole in the top of the tent, trapping the kyree in the folds of cloth.  
  
:Aack! You'll pay for this one, Tarma!: Warll writhes in the collapsed tent while Tarma rolls on the ground, convulsed with silent laughter. Finally, she crawls over and helps Warll out of the tent fabric.  
  
:Careful, don't rip it!: she Mind-sends with mock severity. :We have to sleep in this, you know.: he shakes out his mussed fur while she finishes packing up the tent and supplies.  
  
:Come on, let's go back to where I stashed the rest of my loot and get some breakfast.: Warll begins to pad off into the forest. Tarma follows, sending back to him sarcastically,  
  
:What? You mean you didn't eat it all? Are you feeling well?: to which he replies, equally sarcastically,  
  
:Just for that, I think I'll go back home without you, and leave you hear to survive all by yourself! Ah, here we are!:  
  
:Finally! I'm sta-: her mental voice drops to a whisper. :Why didn't you tell me they were so close? When you said that their camp was nearby, I thought you meant they were about a candlemark away! They've been practically on our doorstep all night!:  
  
:Calm down, they're not going anywhere any time soon. Last night before I got dinner I got close enough to hear that they have orders to wait here for something. They don't know what, thought. Then someone decided they had to take a leak, so I had to scram.: Tarma calms down as he "talks," then adds excitedly,  
  
:What an opportunity! Just think of all the information we can gather while they just sit there!:  
  
:Yeah, an opportunity to get killed! With the troops restless, they'll shoot at anything that looks like an enemy!: Warll snaps as he unearths the bags holding their breakfast. Tarma leans over to help.  
  
:Come on, Warll! The sooner we get our information, the sooner we can leave this place and get back home! The less time we spend here the less chances we have to be attacked.: she cajoles. Warll sighs.  
  
:Fine, fine, I give. But if we get killed because of this, I'm going to kill you for convincing me to do this!: 


End file.
